Our board

The Chief Executive of the NZ Transport Agency reports to the NZ Transport Agency Board. The board is appointed by the Minister of Transport and is responsible for making independent decisions on allocating and investing funds from the National Land Transport Fund. It publishes its planned programme of investment every three years in the National Land Transport Programme.

Board members

The Minister of Transport can appoint up to eight members to the board. Current members are listed below.

Michael Stiassny, Chair (Auckland)

Michael has widespread experience in all matters financial. He has a 40 year strong background in financial consultancy and is a prominent strategic advisor. He is a leading corporate governance practitioner and advocate for sustainability practices.

Michael is currently Chairman of Tower Limited and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa Limited, as well as a director of a number of private companies. Michael is a Fellow and past president of The Institute of Directors in New Zealand (Inc.) (FInstD) and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Dame Fran Wilde, Deputy Chair (Wellington)

Fran is a non-executive director who chairs the Remuneration Authority, the Wellington Lifelines Group and the National Military Heritage Trust. She is also deputy chair of the Capital Coast District Health Board and serves on a number of other boards.

Fran was previously a cabinet minister, the mayor of Wellington, chair of the Wellington Regional Council and chief executive of the NZ Trade Development Board.

She has chaired a number of companies including Housing New Zealand, Wellington Waterfront and the New Zealand International Arts Festival and has been a director of others including ANZ, NGC Holdings, Humanware and Bethunes Investments Ltd. Fran was the first regional category winner of the Westpac Women of Influence Awards and is a chartered fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.

Nick Rogers (Auckland)

Nick Rogers is a geotechnical specialist with expertise in land stability, foundation support and natural disaster assessment.

He has over 34 years’ experience on major infrastructure projects and in conducting land damage assessments for the Earthquake Commission in New Zealand.

He has also worked on projects across the Asia-Pacific region. Nick has been a director for Tonkin and Taylor, and the international development consulting firm ANZDEC.

Nick was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for his services in natural disaster assessment throughout New Zealand, and in the recovery work in Christchurch during and after the Canterbury earthquakes.

Adrienne Young-Cooper (Auckland)

Adrienne is a full-time professional director and a chartered fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.

She had a 30-year career in resource management and planning, specialising in spatial planning, metropolitan growth and management (including infrastructure planning and large projects).

Adrienne was the deputy chair of the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (replaced by Auckland Transport) and a board member of Maritime New Zealand until 2011. Her experience and contribution in transport governance is extensive. She also served as deputy chair of Waterfront Auckland.

She chairs the board of Housing New Zealand Corporation and is a director of the Hobsonville Land Company Ltd and the Wairaka Land Company Ltd.

She also serves on several charitable trusts.

Adrienne is based in Auckland and Wellington and has family ties to Taranaki.

Chris Ellis (Auckland)

He chairs Energyworks Holdings Ltd and Highway Group Ltd and serves on the board of directors of WorkSafe New Zealand and Horizon Energy Ltd.

Chris has held chief executive roles with Brightwater Group and with the Building Products Division of Fletcher Building Ltd.

Earlier, Chris held general management roles in Winstone Aggregates and Fletcher Construction.

Chris has a bachelor of engineering degree from the University of Canterbury and a master’s degree in engineering science and management from Stanford University in California.

Mark Darrow (Auckland)

Mark is an experienced businessperson and director, specialising in corporate governance. He holds a Bachelor of Business degree, is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and a chartered member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.

He has significant experience across a number of sectors, including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education, technology and automotive.

He is currently Chairman for The Lines Company, Primary ITO, Armstrong Motor Group and Signum Holdings, and a director for Counties Manukau District Health Board, Motor Trade Association and Balle Bros Group.

Mark is based in Auckland and has family ties to the King Country and Bay of Plenty.

Leo Lonergan (Wellington)

Leo is a retired senior executive from the energy industry who spent most of his career working internationally.

Leo returned to New Zealand in 2013 after a 36-year career with Caltex and Chevron Corporations, including executive assignments in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia. He was elected an officer of Chevron in 2005 and most recently led Chevron’s worldwide procurement and supply chain organisations with a team of 5000 people and global spend of US$50 billion per year.

He is a chartered fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand and is deputy chair of the Victoria University Foundation.

Vanessa van Uden (Queenstown)

Vanessa van Uden completed one term as a Councillor on the Queenstown Lakes District Council before becoming Mayor in 2010. At the October 2016 election Vanessa stood down and has re-established her own company, Admin and Business Solutions through which she provides a wide range of business services to companies throughout the Queenstown area.

Vanessa has a Master of Business Administration and was awarded an ONZM in the New Year’s Honours 2017 for services to Local Government. She has been a member of the St John Area Committee since 2008, a Trustee of the Queenstown Trails Trust and a founding trustee of the Branches Charitable Trust and the Queenstown Lakes Baby Box Trust.

Board committees

The board has three committees:

Investment and Operations Board Committee

Audit, Risk and Assurance Board Committee

Remuneration and Human Resources Board Committee.

Board meetings

The board meets monthly from February to December, and board committees meet every two to three months.